Program News

Triathlete Spring Swim Class – Registration is Now OPEN!

April 1st, 2014 by Cheryl Sherwood

With winter slow to end, the open water swimming is sure to be extra cold! Join us for this clinic to prepare for the open water and your first race. We’ll do some high intensity workouts to get ready for those high anxiety race starts and pull lane markers to mimic the open water experience with swim buoys and group starts. If you would like to feel ready to race when the season starts, this 4 week class will give you the confidence you are looking for in your race-ready fitness. Register Now as capacity is limited. Class starts April 18th.

Click here for details and to register.

Michigan’s Premier Elite Multi-Sport Teams win OAM NOW Title Sponsorship

January 17th, 2014 by Athletic Mentors

Watch for Team OAM NOW at multisport and endurance events throughout Michigan.

Elite cyclists, runners, tri-athletes and Nordic ski athletes in West Michigan will be hitting the trails in 2014 sporting a new title sponsor from West Michigan health innovator OAM NOW.

The team’s management company, Athletic Mentors LLC, announced the co-titling partnership with OAM NOW, a provider of Urgent Orthopaedic Care and supported by the OAM Sports Medicine Institute, both operated by Othopaedic Associates of Michigan. The multi-sport team program, formerly sponsored by Priority Health, has won national and international attention for the athletes it has developed in a variety of events. Two out of six American Tour de France cyclists are program alumni. The team’s athletes have made numerous trips to the podium and one, Chris Gottwald, has even set the world record for the 100 mile timed trial. The team serves as a platform to get athletes started and when developed, helps them advance to national or pro-level programs.

“We’re excited to support athletic excellence in Michigan, and to extend this opportunity to Michigan’s youth and competition veterans alike. The team’s focus on character-building, integrity, quality and the promotion of healthy living in the community mirrors all the things important to OAM. We’re looking forward to great seasons to come,” said Patrick J. Reid, CEO of Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan.

Team OAM NOW Presented By Athletic Mentors is comprised of athletes competing in Cycling, Triathlon, Running and Nordic Skiing throughout the calendar year, with additional objectives to create a healthier community and develop young athletes in sports that are not typically available in the school system.

The racing and youth development program was first launched in 2006 to bring business and athletes together to achieve common objectives. The team’s top elite athletes not only compete, but also volunteer in schools and community events to promote healthy lifestyle and athletics.

“Many young athletes wouldn’t have access to such sports as triathlon or bike racing unless a parent or older sibling was already involved,” said Cheryl Sherwood, co-owner of Athletic Mentors and Director of the Multi-sport team.

“The sponsorship by OAM NOW will allow us to continue to support the growth of these young hopefuls and at the same time encourage and engage the community in healthy, active lifestyles throughout Michigan. Without this support we just couldn’t keep the program going. ”

Sherwood also noted the continued support of additional sponsors, Agility Physical Therapy, Grzanka Grit McDonald and Gauthier Family Homecare.

“We’re excited to bring together such a great family of sponsors,” she said.

‚Ä¢‚Ä¢‚Ä¢

OAM NOW is a program dedicated to providing urgent, specialized orthopaedic care requiring no wait and no referrals. The program features extended hours until 9 p.m., a dedicated triage nurse and on-site support services such as MRI and physical therapy and is the first of its kind in West Michigan. For more information, visit http://www.oamnow.com/home

OAM Sports Medicine Institute physicians are focused on athletes – from the little leaguer to the college quarterback, from the weekend warrior to the professional competitor. For more information, visit http://www.oamichigan.com/smi

Athletic Mentors LLC, is a west Michigan-based athletic training and sports management company that offers individual training, team training programs, clinics, elite hockey programs and sports management services. For more information about Athletic Mentors or becoming a supporter, visit http://www.AthleticMentors.com.

Press Contact:

Cheryl Sherwood Olson
Athletic Mentors LLC
O: 269.664.6912
C: 269.491.2488

Fall Swim Video and Stroke Analysis Registration is Open!

August 29th, 2013 by Cheryl Sherwood

The fusion of video analysis and years of coaching experience is a powerful tool that will improve your experience in both the pool and open water. Resolve to take your stroke to the next level with this highly effective clinic! Space is limited to 10 athletes. Click here for more information.

FREE Cycling Clinic: Prep for the Gran Fondo!

May 6th, 2013 by Cheryl Sherwood

Do you know someone that has been considering getting a little more involved in cycling? Tomorrow night (May 5th) we are offering a free clinic to prep for the Gran Fondo. There are 12 mile, 40 mile and 80 mile options. At this clinic, we’ll cover everything you need to know from equipment, to nutrition, to how to be fit and ready. We’ll give away a free training plan and raffle off a free registration. Click here for more info!

2013 Summer Soccer Camp Registration is Now Open!

April 3rd, 2013 by Cheryl Sherwood

College coaches say Gull Lake is “the team to watch” after they attended Athletic Mentors’ Fall & Winter Soccer program. Discover the secret in our 2013 Summer Soccer Camp. Early bird prices now through April 30th. Click here for more info.

Warm Up: Your Body Will Thank You

October 24th, 2012 by Katie Whidden USAT certified coach

Many athletes find themselves constrained by time so they sometimes sacrifice the warm up or cool down during a workout. Some of us can get away with this, especially if we are young, but as we age the warm up can be critical in warding off muscular injuries.

A proper warm up does not need to take longer than 15 minutes but should include 3 parts: neuromuscular activation, dynamic stretching and the sport specific cardio related to the activity you are about to engage in. Most of us currently complete the cardio warm up by doing 10-15 minute easy spins or runs but we forgo the first two. For those of you unfamiliar with neuromuscular activation, it is the connection from the brain to muscles through motor neurons. It is the process of initiating the movement process in the brain prior to a training session. When this is done there is a higher degree of stimulation of motor units which then can lead to greater muscular contraction during your work out.

Those athletes who have been to the Athletic Mentors gym for strength training should be familiar with a proper warm up routine.

Foam roller: roll out key muscle groups
Leg swings
Ankle activation
Band pulls to warm shoulder region
Knee tucks to lunge
Quad stretch to forward lean
Spiderman
Inch worm
High knees
Butt kicks
Ladder drills

If you take the time to complete a 15 minute warm up and 15 minute cool down you should be able to prevent injury and decrease muscle fatigue making your next workout more effective. Eliminating the junk mile that you would have normally used to warm up and replacing it with quality and efficiency, will set you up for a better overall workout.